I have often mentioned an active spirit, as the characteristic of the
inhabitants of Birmingham. This spirit never forsakes them. It displays
itself in industry, commerce, invention, humanity, and internal
government. A singular vivacity attends every pursuit till compleated,
or discarded for a second.
The bubble of the day, like that at the end of a tobacco-pipe, dances in
air, exhibits divers beauties, pleases the eye, bursts in a moment, and
is followed up by another.
There is no place in the British dominions easier to be governed than
Birmingham; and yet we are fond of forging acts of parliament to
govern her.
There is seldom a point of time in which an act is not in agitation; we
fabricate them with such expedition, that we could employ a parliament
of our own to pass them. But, to the honor of our ladies, not one of
these acts is directed against them. Neither is there an instance upon
record, that the torch of Hymen was ever extinguished by the breath of
Marriot in Doctors-Commons.
In the present spring of 1783, we have four acts upon the anvil: every
man, of the least consequence, becomes a legislator, and wishes to lend
his assistance in framing an act; so that instead of one lord, as
formerly, we now, like the Philistines, have three thousand.
An act of parliament, abstractedly considered, is a dead matter: it
cannot operate of itself: like a plaister, it must be applied to the
evil, or that evil will remain. We vainly expect a law to perform the
intended work; if it does not, we procure another to make it. Thus the
canal, by one act in 1767, hobbled on, like a man with one leg; but a
second, in 1770, furnished a pair. The lamp act, procured in 1769, was
worn to rags, and mended with another in 1773; and this second has been
long out of repair, and waits for a third.
We carry the same spirit into our bye-laws, and with the same success.
Schemes have been devised, to oblige every man to pay levies; but it was
found difficult to extract money from him who had none.
In 1754, we brought the manufacture of pack-thread into the workhouse,
to reduce the levies; the levies increased. A spirited overseer
afterwards, for the same reason, as if poverty was not a sufficient
stigma, badged the poor; the levies still increased.
The advance of bread in 1756, induced the officers to step out of the
common track, perhaps, out of their knowledge; and, at the expence of
half a levy, fit up an apparatus for grinding corn in the house: thus,
by sacrificing half _one levy, many would be saved_. However, in the
pursuit, many happened to be lost. In 1761, the apparatus was sold at a
farther loss; and the overseers sheltered themselves under the charge of
idleness against the paupers.
In 1766, the spinning of mop-yarn was introduced, which might, with
attention, have turned to account; but unfortunately, the yarn proved of
less value than the wool.
Others, with equal wisdom, were to ease the levies, by feeding a drove
of pigs, which, agreeable to their own nature--ran backwards.--Renting a
piece of ground, by way of garden, which supplied the house with a
pennyworth of vegetables, for two-pence, adding a few cows, and a
pasture; but as the end of all was _loss_, the levies increased.
In 1780, two collectors were appointed, at fifty guineas each, which
would save the town _many a hundred_; still the levies increased.
A petition is this sessions presented, for an Act to overturn the whole
pauper system (for our heads are as fond of new fashions, in parochial
government, as in the hats which cover them) to erect a superb
workhouse, at the expence of 10,000_l_. with powers to borrow 15,000_l_.
which grand design is to reduce the levies _one third_.--The levies will
increase.
The reasons _openly_ alledged are, "The Out-pensioners, which cost
7000_l_. a year, are the chief foundation of our public grievances: that
the poor ought to be employed _in_ the house, lest their morals become
injured by the shops; which prevents them from being taken into family
service; and, the crowded state of the workhouse."--But whether the
pride of an overseer, in perpetuating his name, is not the pendulum
which set the machine in motion? Or, whether a man, as well as a spider,
may not create a _place_, and, like that--_fill it with himself_?
The bill directs, That the inhabitants mall chuse a number of guardians
by ballot, who shall erect a workhouse, on Birmingham-heath--a spot as
airy as the scheme; conduct a manufacture, and the poor; dispose of the
present workhouse; seize and confine idle or disorderly persons, and
keep them to labour, till they have reimbursed the parish all expences.
But it may be asked, Whether spending 15,000_l_. is likely to reduce the
levies?
Whether we shall be laughed at, for throwing by a building, the last
wing of which cost a thousand pounds, after using it only three years?
Our commerce is carried on by reciprocal obligation. Every overseer has
his friends, whom he cannot refuse to serve; nay, whom he may even wish
to serve, if that service costs him nothing: hence, that over-grown
monster so justly complains of, _The Weekly Tickets_; it follows,
whether _sixty_ guardians are not likely to have more friends to serve,
than six overseers?
Whether the trades of the town, by a considerable manufacture
established at the workhouse, will not be deprived of their most
useful hands?
Whether it is not a maxim of the wisest men who have filled the office,
"to endeavour to keep the poor _out_ of the house, for if they are
admitted, they become more chargeable; nor will they leave it without
clothing?"
A workhouse is a kind of prison, and a dreadful one to those of tender
feelings--Whether the health of an individual, the ideas of rectitude,
or the natural right of our species, would not be infringed by a cruel
imprisonment.
If a man has followed an occupation forty years, and necessity sends him
to the parish, whether is it preferable to teach him a new trade, or
suffer him to earn what he can at his old? If we decide for the latter,
whether he had better walk four hundred yards to business, or four
miles? His own infirmity will determine this question.
If a young widow be left with two children, shall she pay a girl
six-pence a week to tend them, while she earns five shillings at the
mops, and is allowed two by the parish, or shall all three reside in the
house, at the weekly expence of six, and she be employed in nursing
them? If we again declare for the latter, it follows, that the parish
will not only have four shillings a week, but the community may gain
half a crown by her labour.
Whether the morals of the children are more likely to be injured by the
shops, than the morals of half the children in town; many of whom labour
to procure levies for the workhouse?
Whether the morals of a child will be more corrupted in a small shop,
consisting of a few persons, or in a large one at the workhouse,
consisting of hundreds?
Whether the grand shop at Birmingham-heath, or at any heath, will train
girls for service, preferable to others?
Shall we, because the house has been crowded a few weeks, throw away
15000_l_. followed by a train of evils? A few months ago, I saw in it a
large number of vacant beds. Besides, at a small expence, and without
impeding the circulation of air, conveniency may be made for one
hundred more.
Did a manufacture ever prosper under a multitude of inspectors, not one
of which is to taste the least benefit?
As public business, which admits no profit, such as vestry assemblies,
commissions of lamps, turnpike meetings, &c. are thinly attended, even
in town; what reason is there to expect a board two miles in
the country?
The workhouse may be deemed _The Nursery of Birmingham_, in which she
deposits her infants, for future service: the unfortunate and the idle,
till they can be set upon their own basis; and the decrepid, during the
few remaining sands in their glass. If we therefore carry the workhouse
to a distance, whether we shall not interrupt that necessary intercourse
which ought to subsist between a mother and her offspring? As sudden
sickness, indications of child-birth, &c. require immediate assistance,
a life in extreme danger may chance to be lost by the length of
the road.
If we keep the disorderly till they have reimbursed the parish, whether
we do not acquire an inheritance for life?
We censure the officer who pursues a phantom at the expence of others;
we praise him who _teaches the poor to live_.
All the evils complained of, may be removed by _attention in the man_;
the remedy is not in an act. He therefore accuses his own want of
application, in soliciting government to _do_ what he might do
himself--Expences are saved by private acts of oeconomy, not by public
Acts of Parliament.
It has long been said, _think_ and _act_; but as our internal
legislators chuse to reverse the maxim by fitting up an expensive shop;
then seeking a trade to bring in, perhaps they may place over the grand
entrance, _act_ and _think_.
One remark should never be lost sight of, _The more we tax the
inhabitants, the sooner they leave us, and carry off the trades_.